This guest post was authored by Art Collector, Art Supporter and Marketer extraordinaire, Dean Cameron. I think you'll find it useful...
For starters, EVERYBODY who has something to sell, even art, wants to make the sale. When a sale is made it is exciting and validates you, your art, and what you have to offer. It may or may not be our sole source of income, and maybe it is just to cover expenses, but everybody wants to complete the sale.
Herein lies the great dilemma. If I had a dollar for every time I have heard "I am not a salesman" I would not be writing this article. I would be in some tropical location with my feet up and a suntan. The truth is that we are all salespeople. Now before you get defensive and claim you are not like that guy on the phone who won't hang up or the person who tried to sell you the vacuum cleaner or used car, let me explain...
Hunting, Fishing & Art
I like to say there are two types of personalities when it comes to sales and marketing, including art (notice I added marketing).
Type 1 is The Hunter. Close your eyes and imagine the best hunter you can think of. They are strategic and have scouted their prey. They have covered themselves with the most deceptive of clothing and have ammunition that will more than do the job. They stalk and hunt for their quarry until the moment is right and the BLAM!...they take down their target. This is the type of salesman that (we) as game run away from. We try to hide and elude these types of salespeople just as a Deer or Elk would run from a hunter. You know there is danger if you are spotted and Lord forbid you are captured into their trap. I do not know many people who want to be this type of salesperson. Type 2 is The Fisherman. Imagine now a tranquil river. You primary goal is to not disturb the fish. Rather you are studying them (marketing). You are seeking the places where the fish are most likely to reside. Your goal now is to select and present to the fish what they will most likely enjoy. If your presentation is too disruptive or not correct for the fish you are seeking you will be unsuccessful. To many, this does not seem to fit their definition of "selling". But in fact, if you take the time to discover who your customer is, find the place you can best interact with them, make your presentation "tasteful and enticing" you will find that fishing is not only rewarding but fun as well.So where do you start in marketing your art? The big pond with all the fish in it is the most likely place to find interest. Marketing art is all about how many eyes see it. From there it becomes how to present your art in a way for the potential buyer to inquire about a purchase. Today the place with all the eyes is the vast and growing by leaps and bounds social media platforms. But social media as a whole can be both friend and foe.
How does the presentation for your artwork entice when the post above is a political rant and the post below is a picture of someone’s Taco’s? Social Media can be a great opportunity but you need to help your audience find focus for your art.
Strategic Art Marketing
It was with this thought in mind that we created our website www.flootie.com. Flootie.com is designed with direct links on an art image page to several of the best and uniquely suited social media outlets. This enables the artist to share their art through several strategic channels and attract their “fans” to their Flootie.com page where the fan can select them as a “favorite artist”. By making this selection the fan will receive an automatic email every week that will alert the fan to new works posted on Flootie.com by that artist, gallery etc.. This gives a focused look at the art by that artist without all the distractions the social media pages evoke. We collect fans from the social media sites and allow the artist to build their core audience through marketing.A good way to think about it is like this: The “lake” is the Social Media Platforms with all the people in it. You and your “boat” represent your artwork. Now, what lures are you going to use to get interested clients on board?
We are excited to say that Flootie.com is currently in development of a whole tackle box full of tools that will enable even more interaction with the client/artist relationship. The good part is that you will get to decide for yourself what works best and develop your own fishing style.
